Provisional assessment and retained bank guarantee led the Court to direct finalisation of assessment within eight weeks.

Provisional assessment had already been completed, the goods were released, and a bank guarantee for 100% of the goods' value remained retained. On that basis, the Court declined the request for three months' time and directed the respondents to conclude the assessment expeditiously. The writ petition was disposed of with a direction to finalise the assessment within eight weeks from receipt of the order, without expressing any view on the rival contentions.

---

---

Issues: Whether the respondents should be granted time to complete the assessment and whether the writ petition should be disposed of with a direction to finalise the assessment within a fixed period.

Analysis: The Court noted that provisional assessment had already been made, the goods had been released, and the bank guarantee to the extent of 100% of the value of the goods continued to be retained. In these circumstances, the request for three months' time was declined and the matter was directed to be concluded expeditiously.

Outcome: The writ petition was disposed of with a direction to the respondents to finalise the assessment within eight weeks from receipt of the order, without expressing any opinion on the rival contentions.

---